Prostate cancer is the most common cancer specific to men in the United States. The American Cancer Society estimates that 1 in 7 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime, and 1 in 39 men will die from this form of cancer, making it the third leading cause of cancer death among American men.
Dr. Ash Tewari, MD, Professor and System Chair of Urology at New York’s Mount Sinai Hospital, recently shared in the New York Daily News, that “prostate cancer is more treatable than ever- if caught early.” He shared that men should be aware of potential symptoms such as blood in the urine and pain with urination. He does warn that sometimes there are no symptoms and the cancer may be discovered in its later stages when it is more aggressive. Thus, it is vital for men to keep up with your routine doctor’s appointments and visits to their primary medical care center for screenings. When experiencing symptoms, a visit to an urgent care clinic is advisable.
Screening for prostate cancer is recommended for men over the age of 45 who have a family history of prostate cancer, especially if they are African-American, or have certain genetic mutations that put them at greater risk. All men between the ages of 55 and 70 years old should ask their healthcare providers at any primary medical care center or urgent care clinic for a prostate screening. The main part of a prostate cancer screening is a simple blood test called the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test. If the results of the PSA test are cause for concern, then a biopsy or imaging will take place. If caught early, and cancer remains within the prostate, the relative five-year survival rate is almost 100%, according to the National Cancer Institute.
Written by Shelly-Ann Parkinson